Rail-joint.



PATBNTED OCT. 16, 1906.

D. F. KELLY.

RAIL JOINT.

nruonron rILnn 19110.18. 1905.

UNITED STATES DENNIS F. KELLY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAIL-JOINT.

No. esami.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filed December 18,1905. Serial lloj 292.153.

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, DENNIS F. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Joints and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rail-joints, and more particularly to a railjoint embodying a combined rail and splicebar.

Heretofore it has usually been customary to provide independent splice-bars for railjoints, with the result that they can be easily removed by unauthorized parties or otherwise misplaced or broken, thereby greatly increasing the danger of accident.

The object of this invention is the production of a rail-joint of simple construction adapted to rigidly hold the abutting rail ends from defiection.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a rail-j oint from which separate or individual splice-bars as such are entirely obviated and in which even though the splicebolts should be removed the rails would be retained in alinement, thereby lessening the danger of accident by unauthorized tampering with the joint.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail-joint embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view ofthe same, partly in top plan view and partly in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of one member of the joint-splice. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the other member of the joint-splice. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 5.

As shown in said drawings, the rails A and A are constructed intermediate their ends similarly to ordinary T-rails and are provided at each end with one member of the joint-splice, each of which, as shown, is formed integrally therewith and is adapted to be united with the other opposing member of an abutting rail. Said j oint-splice members or bars may be formed on the rails in any preferred manner, but may conveniently be formed thereon when the rails are rolled, and one of which comprises, as shown, a fiat web or bar a of metal integral with and projecting from the rail end and which forms a continuation of the rail-web a2. Said bar or member a may be constructed in any preferred manner, as by sawing away the rail-head a3 and flanges a4 when the rail is hot, thereby providing a bar of a height extending from the bottom of the rail to the rail-head and of a thickness equal to the thickness of the rail-web. The outer upper corner of said bar a, as shown, is chambered to adapt it to be easily inserted in abutting rail en The joint-splice member at the opposite end of the rail, as shown, comprises two parallel bars c 0/, extendin outwardly from the rail end and spaced a distance apart to receive the web a2. Said bars a are of a width or height to fit closely between the rail-head r1.3 and iianges (1,4 of the abutting rail and act to support said rail against both vertical and lateral deflection. The adjacent end portion a5 of the rail-web, with which said bars a are integrally connected, is thickened, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 5, 6, and 7, and is provided with a downwardly-opening recess or seat a therein of a width to receive the bar a, when the joint is assembled. Said thickened end portion a5 of the rail-web may also, if preferred, be formed when the rail is rolled and the rail-head and flanges cut away while hot, as before described. Said bars a and a and the adjacent rail-webs a2 and a, as shown, are provided with registering apertures through which extend splice-bolts 0,7, which act to rigidly engage the rails together.

The operation is as follows: The j ointsplice member or bars a and a being formed inte rally with the rail ends aord a very rigi structure when the rails are connected with the member or bar a seated in the seat or recess a and the bars a engaged on opposite sides of the web a2. Owing to the comparatively close fit afforded by said bars with the abutting rail end, it is obvious that each rail is held rigid with respect to the other when the bolts are inserted, thereby preventing vertical deflection of the rail ends, which ordinarily causes great wear.

It is also obvious that a rail-joint constructed in accordance with my invention will act to hold the rails in alinement even IOO IIO

thou h the splice-bolts are removed, thereby greay lessening the possibility of accidents.

While I have shown the bars a as approximately rectangular in cross-section, it is obvious that they may assume any other pre# ferred form. y

I claim as my invention l. The combination with a rail thickened at one end and having a central slot cut the entire length of the thickened portion and opening through the base of the rail, of an abuttingl rail having a central outwardlyprojecting arm thereon rounded on the outer end and adapted to fit in said slot.

2. A rail-joint comprising the abutting ends of two rails one being thickened and the head and flanges thereof cut away for part of its length to provide parallel bars, a lon itudinal slot extending the entire length of the thickened end and a central bar formed on the abutting rail of a height to extend from the bottom of the rail to the rail-head and fitting in said slot.

3. In a device of the class described a rail having its head and flanges cut away for a distance from one end forming a central bar having a rounded outer end, an abutting rail having a thickened end slotted the entire length thereof and having the head and flanges cut away for a portion of the thick-A cned length forming a plurality of bars, the bars of each being adapted to complementally fit the web or slot of the other rail.

4. The combination with a rail of parallel splice-bars on one end thereof of a width approximately equal tothe width of the railweb a seat in the rail endl adjacent thereto and a central splice-bar on the opposite rail end of a width to extend from the rail-head to the bottom of the rail.

5. In a device of the class described the combination with abutting rail ends of an integral longitudinal bar on one of said ends adapted to fit in a complemental recess in the other end and parallel bars on the last-named end adapted to en age each side of the web of the aforesaid en between the head and flanges, said bars being rectangular in crosssection.

6. A device of the class described comprising a rail provided on one end with an integral bar extending outwardly from the rail end beyond the head and base-flanges and on the other end with parallel bars also extend ing beyond the head and flanges and adapted to receive the web of an abutting rail, said last-named end having a thickened web pore tion provided with a recess therein.

7. In a device of the class described the combination with a rail having a thickened web portion at one end thereof, of a recess therein opening through the rail-base, longitudinal parallel bars on said end of a width equal to the width of the rail-web and a central longitudinal bar on the other end having a down-curved forward end and adapted to seat in the recess of an abutting rail.

8. In a rail-joint the combination with the abutting rail ends having the ends of their heads and flanges cut in alinement transversely of the rail, of a central bar on one of said ends adapted to extend into a recess beneath the rail-head in the abutting end and parallel lateral bars on the abutting end adpted to Straddle the web of the aforesaid en In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DENNIS F. KELLY.

Witnesses:

W. W. WITHENBURY, J. W. ANGELL. 

